Saliva is a clear liquid made mostly of water and found in your mouth. It is highly functional and an important part of our overall health. It is not just for baseball players to creatively pit out, this slippery stuff produced by the salivary glands, helps to digest our food and keep our teeth strong.
The human anatomy is quite amazing. Did you know you have three pairs of major salivary glands located behind your jaw? In addition, you have other smaller salivary glands in your lips, inside your cheeks, and throughout your mouth and throat. Without these glands, our bodies would not function properly. Saliva starts the digestive process in our mouth. Not only does it act like a solvent and help to dissolve our food, saliva also helps with chewing and swallowing. In addition, saliva creates a lubricating affect that keeps the inside of our mouths moisturized, which enables our speech to be smooth.
How Spit Keeps Your Mouth Healthy
Saliva keeps your mouth healthy by washing away food and debris from your gums and teeth. This is critically important as the buildup of food and debris is the first step in developing tooth decay. When you eat, chew your food thoroughly, as this will stimulate saliva production. Saliva also provides other tooth decay fighting substances to your mouth. These substances help prevent cavities and other infections, as well as provide nutrients for the surface of your teeth. Saliva keeps your enamel strong.
Schedule Your Routine Cleaning and Exam
When you come see us twice a year, we closely examine your teeth and enamel. If you feel like you have a chronically dry mouth, we ask that you share that with us so we can help to strengthen your enamel and help fight tooth decay. Give us a call today to schedule your next appointment.
Saliva is a clear liquid made mostly of water and found in your mouth. It is highly functional and an important part of our overall health. It is not just for baseball players to creatively pit out, this slippery stuff produced by the salivary glands, helps to digest our food and keep our teeth strong.